Tesco mulls exclusive computer games

Tesco will consider creating exclusive computer games with partners as part of its burgeoning entertainment division.

Director of entertainment Rob Salter told Retail Week: “Games is one area where exclusives could work and we may consider that for the future.”

Supermarkets have increasingly been encroaching on the computer games market with cut-price new releases. Tesco and Asda have also started to sell pre-owned games. The market-leader, Game, has suffered under the assault.

Tesco has been creating exclusive deals in the entertainment field with music, DVDs and books. Last week it revealed it would launch an exclusive Coronation Street music album and previously it has done deals involving Robbie Williams’ autobiography, albums by Nadine Coyle, Simply Red and Faithless and films including Merry Madagascar. Salter said: “With the CDs market in decline, we can create excitement with exclusive deals. It helps music get noticed again in an environment like Tesco.”

There has been a backlash on some blog sites, where music fans have taken the view that serious artists should not do exclusive deals with brands like Tesco.

Salter said: “There may be artists that don’t want to work with particular retailers, and we always need to make sure the two brands work together.”